On September 30, 2025, President Donald Trump once again captured headlines—not for a policy announcement or a diplomatic breakthrough, but for the gleaming transformation of the White House itself. Photos and reports from multiple outlets, including HuffPost, The Daily Beast, and Jagran Josh, revealed a presidency determined to leave a golden mark—literally—on the nation’s most iconic residence. As the country faces economic headwinds, rising prices, and looming federal budget cuts, the president has embarked on a lavish campaign to remake the White House in his own opulent image, sparking debate, admiration, and plenty of criticism.
Trump’s latest round of renovations has centered on the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, and the so-called “Presidential Walk of Fame” along the White House colonnade. The upgrades feature 24-karat gold accents, gilded mouldings, ornate carvings, and a color palette that would make Versailles blush. According to HuffPost, the president boasted on his Truth Social account, “Some of the highest quality 24 Karat Gold used in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room of the White House. Foreign Leaders, and everyone else, ‘freak out’ when they see the quality and beauty. Best Oval Office ever, in terms of success and look!!! President DJT.”
It’s not just the Oval Office that’s been touched by gold. The Cabinet Room, door frames, ceilings, fireplace surrounds, and even furniture surfaces have been enriched with golden highlights, according to Jagran Josh. The “Walk of Fame”—a new wall of presidential portraits along the colonnade—now sports gold ornaments above each likeness. Notably, the portrait for President Joe Biden is simply an autopen signature, a detail that drew particular ire and mockery from critics, as reported by The Daily Beast.
Trump’s penchant for gilded décor is nothing new; it’s long been a hallmark of his personal style, from his New York penthouse to his eponymous hotels. But the scale and timing of the White House transformation have raised eyebrows. The latest round of embellishments occurred just as food prices surged to their highest levels in three years, with beef and coffee leading the spike, according to USA Today. Meanwhile, the nation is bracing for a potential government shutdown, and federal programs for medical research, education, food, clean energy, and healthcare have all faced deep cuts. As HuffPost put it, the president “has ignored caring for the people to ensure that the renovations inside the White House continue.”
The cost of these upgrades is staggering. The centerpiece is a planned new ballroom, clocking in at a projected $200 million and spanning 90,000 square feet—making it significantly larger than the White House residence itself, according to HuffPost and The Daily Beast. Renderings of the ballroom, shared widely on social media, show a space dripping with gold leaf and opulent flourishes. While the White House has stated that President Trump paid for the Oval Office and Cabinet Room renovations himself, the funding for the new ballroom reportedly comes from pledges by major corporate donors, including Google, R.J. Reynolds, Booz Allen Hamilton, Palantir, NextEra Energy, and Lockheed Martin, as reported by CBS News. However, the precise source of funding for the gold flourishes on the colonnade remains unclear.
Critics haven’t pulled any punches. Political scholars and design historians note that traditional democratic interiors have emphasized accessibility and humility, with the neoclassical simplicity of early U.S. government buildings standing in stark contrast to the new spectacle. As The Washington Post observed, “highly ornamental styles may be read as emphasising hierarchy or spectacle.” Even the removal of the Swedish ivy plant, a fixture in many past Oval Offices, has been interpreted as a symbolic break from tradition, with The Independent pointing out that such plants often serve as emblems of continuity and organic connection.
Questions about authenticity have also surfaced. Some observers have suggested that certain “gold” elements may be little more than spray-painted plastic, raising doubts about the materials’ true value and the symbolism they convey. As Jagran Josh reported, “gold has represented permanence, wealth, and authority. Using imitation materials, if true, may signal a shift in how symbols of power are presented, prioritising visual effect over material authenticity.”
Public reaction has been predictably polarized. Supporters see the transformation as a bold assertion of American power and presidential success. They point to the president’s willingness to fund the renovations himself and the use of private donations for the ballroom as evidence that taxpayer money isn’t being squandered. For them, the “best Oval Office ever” is a fitting legacy for a leader who promised to shake up Washington and leave his own stamp on history.
Yet for critics, the timing and tone of the makeover are hard to stomach. The gilded halls and golden flourishes seem out of touch, even discordant, against a backdrop of economic struggle and government austerity. The day after gold prices hit a record high of $3,800 an ounce—driven in part by fears of a U.S. government shutdown, as The Daily Beast noted—the president was showing off his new golden décor. “He has been making what appear to be permanent changes for a president who is only renting,” HuffPost quipped, referencing the constitutional limit of two terms in office.
Inside the White House, the president appears unfazed by the criticism. He’s been eager to show off the new look to his inner circle and foreign dignitaries alike. Recent photos captured Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles admiring the gilded colonnade alongside Trump. According to The Daily Beast, the president has repeatedly told guests that foreign leaders “freak out” when they see the transformation—interpreted by some as a point of pride, by others as a sign of misplaced priorities.
With the removal of longstanding traditions, the introduction of new symbols, and a color scheme that’s anything but subtle, the Trump White House is making a statement that’s impossible to ignore. Whether history will judge the golden makeover as a bold stroke of leadership or a tone-deaf extravagance remains to be seen. But for now, the nation’s most powerful office gleams brighter than ever—just as its occupant intended.
